Tabbing machine



' A 2, 1960 I -c. LY. WELLINGTON 2,947,272

TABBING MACHINE Filed July 10, 1957 FIELI9= 26 5 Sheets-Sheet 3'8 Aug. 2, 1960 c. L. WELLINGTON TABBING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 10, 1957 rlllllnlllllllllllll.

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NVE NTOR CARY L. WE LLINGTON ATT YS.

Aug. 2, 1960 c. L. WELLINGTON TABBING MACHINE Filed July 10, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORZ 10 CARY L. WELLINGTON ATTYS- 1950 c. L. WELLINGTON 2,947,272

, TABBING MACHINE Filed July 10, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 mvzm'onz CARY. L. WELLINGTON ATTYS 1960 c. L. WELLINGTON 2,947,272

' TABBING MACHINE- Filed July 10, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 /60 f0 lTf INVENTOR'. 'CARY L. WELLINGTON ATTYS,

United States Patent() TABBIN G MACHINE Cary L. Wellington, Englewood, N.J., assignor to The Condenser Machinery 'Corp., Englewood, N.J., a corporation of New York Filed July 10, 1957, Ser. No. 670,936

24 Claims. (Cl. 113-1) This invention relates to a tabbing machine for fixing tabs of sheet material to tape of sheet material. More specifically, the present invention relates to a tabbing machine for tabbing continuous tape of sheet material rapidly and in a manner which is automatic or semi-automatic.

The present invention concerns an art which may be broadly described as tabbing and which is concerned with the fastening together of two or more sheets. There are many situations in which it is necessary or desirable to fasten sheets together, and a variety of means of fastening sheets together have been developed. The present invention concerns a machine capable of rapidly and automatically fixing together any of a great variety of types, shapes and sizes of sheets using any conventional fastening means. However, in accordance with the pres ent'invention, at least one of the sheets to be fastened together must initially be available in the form of a continuous tape with suflicient length to be drawn or pulled through the machine. The other sheets, or tabs, to be aflixed to the continuous tape may originate in discrete pieces or in continuous webs or tapes. 7

The various tabbing techniques developed in the prior art have depended to some extent upon a manual operation. In addition some automatic fastening has been em-' ployed in specialized applications requiring the securing of one sheet to another. However, heretofore, there has been no device capable of completely automatically fixing together sheet materials from different supplies and thereafter collecting the tabbed product in a useful for-tn. The machine of the present invention will doall of these things. V p

The use of a continuous tape has inherent difiiculties, particularly the tendency for a continuous tape to tear under conditions where starting and stopping are necessary to accomplish the fastening. This is especially true in view of inertial difierences in diiferent parts of amachine which might accomplish the job. However, advantages such as precision positioning of tabs relative to the tape and other quality control advantages more than outweigh the apparent disadvantage inherent in continuous tape. The present invention has, therefore, been designed to overcome the dangers of tearing accompanying the use of continuous tape and yet the same machine includes means for assuring continuous and automatic operation.

A machine of my present invention can completely automatically afiix tabs .at very precise spacings on sheet material in tape form. This machine can employ any of a great variety of fasteners, includingstapling machines, or fastening devices of any sort which can-be completely automatically actuated, including my one stroke die set which 'is the subject matter of my copending application Serial No. 670,938 of even date herewith entitled Die Set. In combination with fasteners not requiring manual steps, the machine of the present invention can be made completely automatic. Moreover, when operated completely automatically, it is capable of extremely high means along the tape path and which responds to. the

2,947,272 Patented Aug. 2, 19 0 speeds. Such high speeds are possible because the ma chine is capable of a continuous operation without the inertial problems accompanying stopping and starting. Whether operated completely automatically or not, my machine is versatile in permitting collection of its end product either as tabbed tape stored in a spiral roll or for use in its continuous web form or for later separation (along perforations or otherwise), or else as uniform tabbed lengths of strip of any desired length, and configuration. In addition, the present invention provides a simple tab feed which is capable of great reliability and speed.

In terms of broadest inclusion, the present, invention consists of a tape supply from which the continuous tape is drawn and a collection means including a driven roller which exerts pull on the tape for drawing it through the machine along a tape path which take a direct path or a devious path, due to the interposition of rollers, ,etc. The collection means may vary to enable the tabbed tape product to be collected in whatever fashion is desired.-

Along the tape path is arranged a tabbing means, which may be a crimper, stapler, etc., and also along the tape path at the tabbing means is supplies tabs to the tabbing means for aflixing tothe tape. The supply of tabs is ordinarily directed to provide a tab path transverse. to the tape. If the tabbing means is to work automatically without stopping, the collection means drive must then be provided with a slack" bodying features of the present invention under circumstances where it is unnecessary to have the machine completely automatic. For example, it is conceivable that the tab spacing means might be used in a situation where stopping the machine completely is permissible, in which event the slack storage means might be omitted. More likely might be a situation in which it is desirable to operate the tabbing means control switch manually so that tabs can be randomly spaced. For the most part, such modifications are relatively unsatisfactory because of the. resulting slow speed of operationand loss of other smooth operating advantages. Therefore, in the usual situation it is desirable to provide an automatic means for actuating the tabbing means so that tabs are afiixed at regular inter: vals. This automatic actuating means may be a switch which is placed some distance away from the tabbing passage of a tab previously aifixed to the tape to actuate the switch and thereby actuate the drive for the tabbing means. Thus, it will be seen that tabs will, in this man: ner, be automatically applied at equal intervals which preferably may be precisely. adjusted.

Other features of the present invention include slack sensing means prior to the tabbing means for controlling the supply means, a reliable tab feeding and a variety of collection means for collecting the tape in difierent forms.

For a better understanding of the present invention, specific reference will be made to a machine which is designed especially to fix metallic tabs transverse to a continuous web of metallic tape. When secured together by crimping as described in my co-pending patent application Serial No. 670,938 of even date therewith entitled Die Set, and separated into as required lengths-Which are appropriately formed or otherwise treated, these composite metallic structures, the products of the machine,

provided a tab supply which.

are useful as condenser electrodes, the tabs serving as leads. When specific detail is required, therefore, the following drawings will be illustrated and described in terms of their condenser plate products: e

. Fig. la is a side elevational view somewhat schematically represented with part of the supporting frame removed showing the supply end of a preferred embodiment of the tabbing machine of the present invention;

Fig. 1b is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the collection end of the machine shown in Fig. 1a;

Fig. 2 is a plan view from above of the part of the machine shown in Fig. 1b;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1a showing the tab feed mechanism and the tabbing means in elevation with part of its housing being cut away;

Fig. 4 is a detailed sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 1a showing the switch actuating means for the tabbing means and its associated structure;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the structure of Fig. 5 from the left;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of said structure taken along line 77 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a detailed view taken along line 8-8 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing a section of tape tabbed by the machine of the present invention;

Fig. 10 is a side elevational view of a modified form of collection means; i

Fig. 11 is a sectional view through the rollers of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken along the line 12-12 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken along line 1313 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 14 is a side sectional view of a collection means for use with the structure of Figs. 10-13; and

Figure 15 is a plan view from above of part of the structure shown in Fig. 14.

Referring to Figs. 1a and 1b and occasionally to Figs. 2 and 3, the basic structure and operation of the device of the present invention will be understood. The machine, advantageously, isbased on an elongated frame which, as may be seen in Fig. 2, is advantageously of generally hollow rectangular form and may be fabricated of angle iron or other structural pieces. The frame is provided with suitable legs 21 and necessary bracing and support members, most of which are not shown in order to give a clearer view of the various other elements of structure. At one end of the machine, as shown in Fig. la, is a tape supply which ordinarily consists of a reel or other storage elements for a continuous strip of tape. The supply 22, as well as the other parts will be described in greater detail hereafter. At the other end of the machine is a collection means generally designated 23 which is driven by a motor 23a or other power supply and which includes a drive roller which imparts the pull to the tape 24 which draws it through the machine. It is an important feature of the machine that the necessary pull on the tape 24 may be supplied only at the collection end of the machine.

The tape path is somewhat devious but, in its progress from the supply means to the collection means, it passes through a tabbing means, generally designated 25. In association with the tabbing means is a tab supply feed generally designated 26 which feeds tab sheet material 27 along a tab feed path (which may be seen in Fig. 3). The tabbing means may be actuated by a drive means, generally designated 28. This drive means is actuated by a switch means, generally designated 29 and shown in detail in Figs. 5-8 which causes the drive means 28 to be actuated in response to tab positioning so that tabs can be fixed at predetermined intervals along the length of the tape. As will hereafter appear the switch means 29 may be adjusted relative to the tabbing means, thereby providing an adjustment of the interval between tabs. The tabs for a given setting of this switch means are spaced apart precisely the same spacing along a continuous length of tape.

Between the switch means 29 and the collection means 23, preferably closer to the collection means, is a slack storage means, generally designated 30, which is adapted to collect and store slack tape while the tape is passing freely through the tabbing means and from which the stored tape is taken by the collection means during the tabbing. The storage of tape occurs in the loop designated 31.

At the supply end of the machine between the supply means 22 and the tabbing means 25 is a slack sensing device, generally designated 32, which is intended to actuate a brake mechanism 33. The sensing device actuates the brake upon sensing a slack condition to prevent inertial over feeding by the supply. Therefore, the slack sensing means acts to readjust the tension in the look 34 in accordance with the demand for tape thereafter in the machine.

Considering first the supply means, generally designated 22, there may be provided simply a shaft 36 rotatably mounted in suitable bearings in a bracket 37 on the support frame 20. The shaft 36 may be adapted to accept a reel 38 containing a spiral coil of tape 39 in such a way that the reel 38 is fixed relative to shaft 36 and caused to rotate with it. Other types of supply are, of course, possible but a supply of the general type described is desirable because of its simplicity and its ease of control.

No drive mechanism is supplied at the supply 22 and tape 24 is drawn downwardly therefrom to the slack sensing means 32. The tape contacting element of the sensing means is a roller 41 below the general frame level and under which the tape passes before passing back up to above the frame level and over a roller 42 which is rotatably supported on, or relative to, the frame. This roller and all similar rollers for tape support which will hereafter be mentioned have bearings permitting rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of roller 41 which is parallel to the axis of rotation of shaft 36. The tape is drawn from roller 42 generally horizontally through the tabbing mechanism 25 by a pull exerted by the drive roller of the collection means 23. However, when the tabbing means is in operation there will be periods when the tape is held against forward motion for short periods and during this time, due to the inertia of thesupply, tape will continue to be fed from the supply and slack will tend to accumulate between the tabbing means 25 and the supply and the loop 34 will grow in size because the tape is stopped at the tabbing means. This slack is sensed by the slack sensing means 32 through roller 41 which advantageously is supported on a compound crank arrangement having a pair of long lever arms 44 to support the roller and'a short lever arm 45. Both lever arms are fixed to shaft 47 which is rotatably supported on a portion 46 of the frame pgr'zttllel to the axes of rotation of the rollers and supply s a The roller 41 preferably weighs enough to apply a gravity biasing to the loop 34 to keep it taut no matter whether slack is accumulating or being taken up. The short lever arm 45 is connected at one end of a line 48, which preferably includes a spring 49 to provide-some resiliency to avoid snapping the line. This line is terminated at its end, remote from lever arm 45, in a strap 50 fixed to the bracket 37 by suitable fastening means 51, having passed around an enlarged brake drum 52 fixed to shaft 36. As slack accumulates in loop 34 roller 41 will tend to move downwardly under the pull of gravity moving levers 44 and lever 45 downwardly also. This downward motion will exert a pull through line 48 on strap 50 which frictionally drags against break drum 52 thereby producing an increased breaking action on the drum, and, hence, a slowing of the rotation of the shaft 36. Conversely, after tabs have been fastened to tape 24, the tape will again be drawn by the collection means and the initial pull on the tape will cause roller 41 to be lifted in response to the decrease of slack in loop 34 thereby loosening line 48 and strap 50 and reducing the friction of brake drum 52 so that the shaft 36 is able to rotate more freely and more easily pay out the supply of tape.

It will also be obvious that spring or other types of biasing than gravity biasing may be employed by roller 41 to effectively sense the accumulation of slack in loop 34 and produce the feed-back of compensating braking as described. In fact, the sensing, feed-back and braking arrangements may all vary widely from those disclosed within the scope of the present invention.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4 in particular, the tabbing means 25 partially shown is the die set of my co -pending application of even date herewith, entitled Die Set. As seen in Figs. 3 and 4 the tape is fed through openings in housing 54 as are the tabs and the two of them fastened together herein. A housing may be used to protect the die set from dust and other contamination which may be present in the shop atmosphere in which the machine is used although, in many applica tions it may not be necessary to enclose it in a housing. The tab material 27 is fed into the housing along a tab path generally transverse to the path of tape 24, preferably from a tab supply 26 which consists of a supply of tape in a spiral coil form 56. Alternatively, the tabs might be supplied in another convenient form such as a stack of tabs of required lengths. The tab coil 56 may be supported on a reel or simply permitted to rest on a pin 57 from which it is spirally unwound by at least one driving roller 58. The drive roll drives the tape frictionally when roll 59 is urged against it. Thus, tabs are drawn off along a tab path which is deflected from the vertical into the horizontal by a roller 60. The-tab material continues to be drawn from the supply until the wheels 58 and 59 are separated. Separation is accomplished by actuation of actuating means 61 which is an air cylinder powered by the same air supply as the drive for the tabbing means, although it could alternatively be a solenoid, or the like. Air cylinder 61 pulls crank member 62 which rotates about pin 63 by which it is supported relative to the support housing, part of the frame, in order to pull roller 59 away from roller 58. Thereafter, the tab material stopped by the die set, or a stop prior thereto, will not be drawn further. If the tape supply has sufiicient friction, its self-damping prevents the tape from unravelling from coil 56 when the tape is stopped. Alternatively, a slack sensing means similar to means 32 may be used. The air cylinder 61 may be energized automatically by a valve or other control operated by the die set.

Within the die set pads 65 and 66 are driven together after tab material is fed over the tape to be punched by punches 67 which displace'rather than removing sheet material so that it can thereafter be peened by hammer members 68 to crimp the tabs in place on the tape. In addition, in closing the die set drives a movable knife 69 upwardly against a fixed knife 70 which cuts off the tabs to a length suitable for the particular purpose of their application. For example, tape for condenser electrodes is fixed to tabs 27a which provide electrical leads as shown in Fig. 9. The exact operation of the die set is immaterial but it is preferably driven by an air cylinder 28 the piston of which urges the pads 65 66 together to tab, cut the tabs and deenergize the tab drive. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other suitable fastening devices such as staplers and the like can be substituted for the tabber shownhere. Power for driving the drive wheel 58 may be supplied locally by a small motor operating off the same small power supply which supplies energy to solenoid 61'. The circuitry for such an arrangement may be an obvious and well known arrangement. In addition, the type of tab supply may also be widely varied as suggested before.

Also associated with the tabbing means 25 is a switch mechanism 29, details of which may be seen in Figs. 5-8. The switch 72 apart from the mechanism is a normally open switch connected into some simple conventional circuit of the actuation means 28 ofthe tabber 25. The switch, thus, initiates the tabbing. Itis possible to employ a verysimple switch fixed to a machine in which tabs are always to be fixed the same distance apart on the continuous tape. However, it is of advantage to provide a switch which is movable in position so that the distance between tabs and, hence, the length of final pieces to which the tabs are affixed may be varied. To this end the switch is advantageously a micro-switch which is supported on a switch supporting frame consisting of a pair of spaced plates 73 and a number of interconnecting rod members. The plates 73 are advantageously spaced apart about the width of the angle iron members 20 which form the frame of the machine, and the switch is supported on the outside of one of the plates. The support frame does not ride directly on the frame of the machine but on a track composed of a pair of rack members 74 which are supported on the frame. Actually engaging the rack track are a pair of pinions 75 mounted on a shaft 76 which is journalled in the plates 73 and which, as will appear, provide the precise movement necessary. However, additional guiding members 77 and 78 are provided on the plates 73 to embrace an outwardly extending flange 79 on the track support structure. The members 78 differ from members 77 in that they are arranged so that at least part of them is spring urged laterally into part of the track 74- or its support to hold the switch, support structure firmly in place relative to the track and frame.

The shaft 76 extends through one of the plates 73 and is terminated in a movable dial 81 which is calibrated relative to a scale on the outside surface of plate .73 in terms of the spacing between tabs, or condenser electrode length, which will be permitted by different positions of the switch support. A knurled knob 82 is also provided integral with the dial on the shaft to manually turn the pinions to move the switch support relative to. the track. Once the proper dimensions are selected, the switch support may be fixed relative to the trackby an eccentric lock 83 which bears against flange 79 to frictionally hold the device in place. Eccentric lock 83 rotates on a shaft 8'4 which is turned relative to the switch support by a lever arm 85.

'One of the rods 87 which holds. the plates 73 apart carries a bearing mounted roller 88 over which the tape 24 is intended to pass. Bearing tangentially against this roller 88 directly above it is a small wheel 89 which is supported on a lever arm 90 to rotate about an. axis parallel to that of roller 88. The lever arm 90 is fixed, in turn, to a shaft 91 rotatably mounted in the plates 73. Shaft 91, in turn, is connected outside the same plate which supports the switch 72 to a long actuating lever arm 92 having an adjustable end portion 93 which is intended to bear against the plunger 94 of the microswitch 72, Normally as the tape 24 passes between the roller 88 and the wheel 89 the switch is unaffected. However, when a tab aflixed to the tape passes between the roller 88 and the wheel 89, the wheel 89 is lifted, thereby producing a small amount of rotation of shaft 91 and moving lever arm 92 sufficiently to bring it against plunger 94 thereby closing the switch. The switch, in turn, may actuate a holding relay or otherwise triggers the actuator of the tabbing means.

In addition to a great variety of possible switch supports, calibration means and track means, the switching means itself is capableof wide variety and instead of the crank structure described which is operated by increased thickness at the tabs, there may besubstituted other sens ing means, such as means deflected by tabs overhanging a strip or a photocell arrangement whereby' overhanging tabs produce a signal, and many other variations employing well known components and systems.

After passing out of the switch means the tape passes over a roller 97 and then downwardly and, under roller 98 and back up again over roller 99. Rollers 97 and 99 are supported above the level of the track 74 on the frame 20, whereas roller 98 is supported on a frame member wellbelow the level of the main frame support. The purpose of this arrangement is to provide a large loop which is, in effect, a lengthening of the tape path between the tabbing means and the collection. means, or the tape storage means. This could be accomplished equally well by making the machine longer. However, by deflecting the tape one or more times in this manner the longer length of tape between the tabber and the collection means and slack storage is accomplished with a much shorter machine frame length. Preferably, the rollers are removable and movable so that the switch support 29 can be moved the length of the machine base to accommodate diiferent switch positions. However, no matter what their arrangement, these rollers are used to deflect tape into a loop which, in eifect, places a greater length of tape between tabbing and collection means. This length of tape path is important because the collection means is continuously driven. The storage means, as will appear shortly, is capable of absorbing slack when the tabbing means is not actuated and then feeding back the slack to the collection means when the tape is stopped by the tabbing means. The sudden operation of tabbing means, if there were only a short distance of tape length between the tabbing and collection means would cause a severe strain on the tape largely because the amount of tape stored would represent a much larger proportion of the total amount between the tabbing and collection means. Here, however, the amount of tape which must be stored as slack represents a relatively small part of the tape between the tabber and the collection means, and, therefore, the shock imposed by the continued operations of the collection means in view of the stopping of tabbing means is much less severe since it can be distributed over the greater length and most of it can be accommodated by the slack sensing means which provides a cushioning effect.

The slack accommodating means 30 receives the tape after it passes over a number of additional rollers 101, 102 and 103. The number of rollers in a particular machine is not particularly critical but sufficient rollers should be provided to prevent sag between them of the tape under its own weight. The slack storage means itself consists of a roller 104 having an axis of rotation parallel to the axes of rotation of all other rollers in the system bearing against the tape 24. Roller 104, however, is mounted on a lever or pair of levers 105 which are, in turn, rotatably supported on a shaft 106 fixed to the support frame 20. The gravity biasing of roller 104 tends to make the roller 104 pull downwardly and thereby accommodate any slack which accumulates by enlarging the loop 31.

Other types of biasing, such as spring biasing, could be used with equal success here as in the slack sensing means 32. It' will be apparent that, when the slack is to be given up, the collection means must work against the biasing effect. It is possible biasing by the weight of the roller alone may not be sufficient so that the pull will cause the collection means drive roller to overshoot and put in unnecessary strain on the tape. To avoid such difliculty, a damping means 109 is connected to a part of the frame 107 and its piston 108 isconnected to the lever 105. The damping means 109 will oppose the tendency of the roller 104 to overshoot in either direction and thereby avoid putting too much strain on the tape loop 31. V

It will be appreciated that spring biasing or other types of biasing could be substituted for gravity biasing as in sensingmeans 32 and that the damping means may assume any of a great variety of forms.

The collection means may also assume a number of different forms. Two different formswill be discussed in connection with this application but others are also possible within the scope of the invention. In essence, however, either in the collection means itself, or in association with it, there is a driving means. In this case a motor 23a .is the prime driving means which drives rollers 111 and 112, both of which may be considered direct drive rollers, which act upon the tape 24 to pull it along its tape path. In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1b and 2, after being drawn along the tape path by passing between drive rollers 111 and 112, the tape is 1'1- nally fed onto a collection means such as a reel on spindle 113. If a reel 113a is employed for a product such as that shown in Fig. 9', it advantageously has only one sidewall so as not to interfere with laterally extending tabs which extend beyond one of the edges of the tape.

In illustrating the driveof the present invention and the interconnection of the different parts of the collection means it has been necessary to schematically represent much of it in order to minimize complication of the drawing. It will be appreciated that in the case of the rollers thus far described, the rollers and their driving gears and sprocket wheels must all be mounted upon some sort of shaft ultimately supported on some part of the frame or an extension therefrom. Such parts, whether shown in the drawing, or not, are a matter of choice or design and not important to the invention and, therefore, will not be described except directly in connection with structures which they support.

Drive from the motor 23a 114 by means of a suitable V-belt 115 to a larger 116. This sheave is mounted for rotation on a shaft which supports a small sprocket wheel 117. Small sprocket wheel 117 through a chain 118 drives large sprocket wheel 119 which is fixed to shaft 120 to which roller 111 is also fixed. Shaft 120 and shaft 121 which bears against rollers 111 and 112, respectively, each carries a gear of the same size, which gears are arranged to mesh so that the drive for roller 111 also drives roller 112. The rollers are arranged to provide positive drive by requiring the tape 24 to pass upward from roller 104, over roller 112, back between rollers 112 and 111 and on around roller 111, making an S-shaped figure. The tape 24 passes on to the collection reel 113a. Also mounted on shaft 121 is a sprocket wheel 124 which drives chain 125. Chain 125 follows a double V pattern by virtue of passing around sprocket wheels 124, 126, 127 and 128 the last three of which are supported on suitable stub shafts. On the same shaft as sprocket 127 is a larger sprocket wheel 129 which drives a smaller sprocket wheel 130 through a chain 131. On the same shaft with sprocket wheel 130 is a larger sprocket wheel 132 which drives a smaller sprocket wheel 133 through chain 134, the smaller sprocket wheel being fixed to shaft 113 on which is supported the take-up reel 113a.

A clutch 136 is placed between the reel 113a and the sprocket drive 133 in shaft 113. This clutch permits a slip between the take-up reel 113a and the driven part of the shaft on which sprocket wheel 133 is mounted. It will be observed that the shaft 113 must be driven at a higher speed than the drive rollers 111 and 112, sufficiently high so that as the reel fills up it can turn more and more slowly but still move at a greater speed than the drive rolls 111 and 112 in order to accommodate tape which is fed to it at the same rate. The drive, therefore, is faster than the fastest speed required to accommodate the tape 24 at the maximum rate of speed is supplied through sheave sheave of the drive rollers 111 and 112 and the slippage of a clutch effects a gradual speed reduction of the take-up reel.

' A modified form of collection means is shown in Figs. -15. In this modified form, instead of storing the tape in a spiral roll asis done in the collection means previously described, the tape is torn into discrete pieces, preferably along perforations 140 which may be formed by the die set mechanism of Fig. 3. Such perforations facilitate the tearing of the tape into pieces of equal length each having its tab in precisely the same position. Here the drive rollers shown in Figs. 1b and 2 may be eliminated or retained. The reel 113a and its spindle 113 are eliminated in every case, of course. Drive rollers 111 and 112 are not necessary since drive is accomplished through rollers 141 and 142 which may be driven in the same way asrollers 11 1 and 112 and, hence, are preferably omitted. The rollers 141 and 142 are each one of a pair designed to lie on opposite sides of the tape 24. The other'roll on'the same side of the tape as roller 141 is roller 143 and the other roller on the same side of the tape -as roller 142 is roller 144. Rollers 141 and 142 are supported by a common support structure 145. Support structure 145 is supported on shaft 146 of roller 143, although, the shaft 146 and the support 145 are mutually rotatable by virtue of the interpositions of suitable bearings. Consequently, the frame 145 is free to rotate a small amount about the axis of shaft 146. v In a similar manner rollers 144 and 142 are supported on a common support structure 148 but in this case it is the shaft 149 of roller 142 which supports the frame of the machine. Bearings between support 148 and shaft 149 permit relative rotation between the shaft 149 and the frame 148 about the shaft 149. Between the frame members 145 and 148 is arranged a spring 150 positioned to pull the rollers 141 and 142 together so that they will frictionally supply a pull to tape 24. This spring also serves to normally hold apart the rollers 143 and 144 sothat the tape passes freely between them. As can be seen inFi g. 12 the roller 143 is driven through its shaft 146 by a sprocket wheel 152 connected to the motor 23a or other drive by a chain 153. Also 011 the shaft 146 is a spur. gear 154, which, in turn, drives a spur gear 155 on shaft 156 of roller 141. It will be observed that gear 155 is larger than gear 154 so that roller .143 moves at a faster speed than roller 141 for a reason which will become apparent. Also on shaft 156 is another spur gear 157 which I meshes with a spur gear 158 on shaft 149 of roller 142 as may be seen in Fig. 12. Gears 157 and 158 are of the. same size so that the speed of rollers 141 and 142 is the same but in opposite directions so that they will act together to draw the tape 24 between them. Connected to the roller. support frame 145 is a switch actuating extension 160 which bears an adjustable switch actuating member 161 which may be so adjusted that small movement of the frame 145 willactusate the plunger ofa micro switch 162 which issupported won a part of the frame structure. As tape 24 passes between the rollers, deflection of "the support frame 145 and extension 160 is not sufficient to actuate the switchQbut, when the tape and a tab 27a together pass between'the rollers, the frame 145 is caused to rotate clockwise slightly, and thus rotation is sufficient to cause actuater 161 to close the normally open contacts of switch 162 which completes the energizingcircuit through the solenoid 163. The energizing circuit of the solenoid may also include a holding relay, if necessary. The solenoids core element 164 is arranged to be urged outwardly against the frame support 148 for rollers 142 and 144. As the core moves outwardly, the frame support 148 is caused to rotate counterclockwise about the shaft 149 so that roller 144 is driven inwardly 'andinto contact with roller 143 as shown'in Fig. 11. When this occurs a frictional pull is exerted on the tape 24 between the rollers 141 and 142, on one hand,

and rollers 143' and 144 on the other; Since the rollers 143 and 144 tend to pull the tape between them at a much faster rate than the rollers 141 and 142. The result is an application of tension to the tape. 24 which, because of its perforated condition, will tear neatly across the perforation before the pressure on the frame 148 by the solenoid core 164 is released permitting frame 148, under the urging of spring 150, to return to its position shown in Fig. 10.

Actual collection of the tabbed and separated lengths of tape may be done by the apparatus shown in Figs. 14 and 15. The collection means consists of a slide collector which is advantageously composed of a pair of parallel identical sidewalls 167 spaced apart the width of the tape to be collected and provided with inclined top edges which terminate in a horizontal top edge at their bottoms. The lower ends of the sidewalls 167 are closed by an end wall 168. Near their tops, the sidewalls are joined at their bottom edges, which are also inclined in a more steeply sloping bottom 169 which, however, extends only partway down the length of the sloping parts of the sidewalls edges. When positioned relative to the rolls 141, 142, 143 and 144, as shown in Fig. 14, the sidewalls tend tobracket the end of the tape and the bottom tends to deflect it even before it is severed so that it is guided straight down the collector and properly aligned. The tab 27 will strike the top edge of one of the sidewalls 167 and prevent the piece from falling through, and, in fact, will at the bottom of the device keep all the pieces. at a common level so that they may be removed in a stack. It, of course, would be possible to eliminate the bottom and to abbreviate the sidewalls but the provision of the structure as shown tends to assure a better alignment of the tapes and a neater collection at the bottom.

Operation of the device in either form shown will be understood from the foregoing description of structure, and particularly from the initial discussion of the structure and its operation in general.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the tabbed tapes as shown are particularly useful as condenser electrodes in spirally wound condensers of various types. When employed for this particular purpose the tape is composed of a continuous foil tape of formed metal material and the tabs are composed of ribbon of similarly formed sheet metal material. They are advantageously secured together by the piercing crimping procedure described and are advantageously handled by hand as little as possible in order to leave undisturbed the formed coating.

It is possible, however, to use the apparatus of the present invention to fix together sheet materials of different composition and it is possible to even employ different arrangements or configurations of tabs fixed in an entirely different way to the sheets. The machine will, of course, have to be adapted to the particular needs of a particular case. However, in principle, the operation of the machine remains the same and it permits completely automatic handling of materials which here! tofore have required costly and slow hand processing through many of the stages described herein.

Many modifications in the structure of the machine of the present invention have been suggested. Still others will occur to those skilled in the art. All such modifications and variations in structure within the scope of the claims is intended to be within the scope and spirit of the present invention. a

I claim:

1. A machine for aflixing tabs of sheet material to a continuous tape of foil material, comprising supply means for supplying the continuous tape, collection means including a driven rotatable member adapted to be driven by a power supply, said collection means being adapted to draw the tape from the supply along a tape path, tabbing means along the tape path adapted to fix tabs to the tape periodically, a tab supply feeding tabs to the tabbing means along a tab path intersecting the tape path at the tabbing means, a slack storage means positioned between the tabbing means and the collection means along the tape path adapted to maintain tension on the tape at all times and to collect and store slack tape while the tape is passing freely through the tabbing means and adapted to release to the collection means some of the stored slack tape during the tabbing.

2. A machine for aflixing sheet material tabs to a continuous tape of foil material comprising a supply for the tape, collection means for the tabbed tape including a driven roller which applies tension to the tape to draw it along a tape path, tabbing means arranged along the tape path for aifixing tabs to the tape, a tab supply supplying tabs along a tab path intersecting the tape path at the tabbing means, and an actuating switch adapted to be tripped by the passage of the tab on the tape and connected to the actuating means of the tabbing means.

3. A machine for afiixing sheet material tabs to a continuous tape of foil material comprising a supply for the tape, collection means for the tape including a drive means and including a driven roller adapted to be driven by the drive means and acting upon the tape to draw it along the tape path from the supply to the collection means, tabbing means located along the tape path for aflixing tabs to the tape, a tab supply for supplying tabs along a tab path intersecting the tape path at the tabbing means, actuating means for the tabbing means including a switch spaced along the tape path from the tabbing means toward the collection means and adapted to be tripped by a tab in order to actuate the tabbing means, slack storage means along the tape path between the tabbing means actuation switch and the collection means adapted to maintain tension on the tape at all times and to accumulate slack while tape is passing freely through the tabbing means and to give up slack to the collection means while the tabbing means is in operation.

4. The machine of claim 3 in which the tape path is defined, at least partially, by rollers located between the supply and collection means and in which the slack storage means is an idler roller adapted to move transverse to the tape path and biased to move in a direction to deflect tape from the path into a storage loop.

5. The machine of claim 4 in which the slack storage roller is arranged between two rollers having axes parallel to its axis and is supported on lever means rotatably fixed to a portion of the frame, a common support for the rollers whereby the slack storage roller is moved as the lever arms rotate relative to their support point, and wherein the roller is gravity biased to move and displace the tape downwardly, said moving structure being provided with damping means to avoid hunting or overshooting and accompanying damage to the tape.

6. The structure of claim 4 in which the supply means is provided with a braking means which cooperate with the slack sensing means to slow the rate of supply.

7. The structure of claim 6 in which a slack accommodating roller between the supply and the tabbing means is provided as part of the slack sensing means whereby the position of the slack accommodating roller is sensed and the brake is applied to the supply in response thereto.

8. The machine of claim 7 in which the supply means is adapted to accommodate a reel of tape and in which the sensing means includes a crank arrangement one arm of which supports the slack storage roller and the other arm of which is coupled to the brake to apply a braking force when the crank is moved in response to an accommodation of slack by the roller.

9. The machine of claim 3 in which'the switch means is movable along the tape path in order to adjust the spacing between tabs.

10. The machine of claim 4 in which'a track parallelling the. tape, path is provided on the machine, the switch is mounted, on. a support. frame which is adapted to be moved along the track, and means on the support frame cooperating with the track records the relative position of the switch and the tabbing means.

11. The machine of claim 10 in which the track includes a rack and means for moving the support frame relative to the rack including a pinion, the supporting shaft of said pinion being coupled to drive handle which bears a dial movable relative to the switch support and calibrated in terms of distance between tabs.

12. The machine of claim 11 in which the switch operating means on the switch support frame consists of a pair of rollers one of which is fixed relative to the frame and the other of which is movable but biased to a closed position, which rollers accommodate the tape through its nip, and a crank, one arm of which is a switchactuating member and the other arm of which is attached to the movable roller. 7

13. The machine of claim 12 in which the crank has a relatively short arm attached to the roller and a relatively long arm adapted to actuate the switch and in which locking means is provided for holding the switch support frame relative to the track in a selected position.

14. The machine of claim 3 in which tabs are supplied to the tab feed from a roll of sheet material and in which the tab feed acts intermittently upon the roll of tabbing sheet, the tabbing means being provided with a switch to stop the tab feed from feeding the tabs from the roll to the tabbing means and a cut-off means is actuated by the tabbing means to cut oif a length of the tab material from the roll of tab sheet material.

15. The machine of claim 14 in which the feed means is a pair of rollers at least one of which is driven and through the nip of which passes the tab path, and means for separating said rollers to stop the drive of the tab feed.

16. The machine of claim 15 in which the tab feed rollers are provided with mating concave and convex surfaces in order to form the tab sheet for purposes of rigidizing.

17. The machine of claim 3 in which the collection means includes a pair of rollers at least one of which is driven and between which passes the tap path, and a storage reel spindle driven at a faster speed than the driven roller and provided with a slip clutch permitting it to be slowed to a slower speed by tension in the tape in order to accommodate any feed speed slower than its speed of rotation.

18. The machine of claim 17 in which a single drive is provided for the system and coupled to the drive roller and to the take-up reel spindle to drive them at different speeds.

19. The machine of claim 3 in which the collection means includes means for tearing the tape into lengths, each of which carries a tab, said means consisting of two pairs of rollers arranged so that the tape path passes consecutively between each pair, the sets being arranged so that at least one roller of each pair is driven and the driven roller of the latter pair along the tape path runs faster than the driven roller of the first pair, the first pair being arranged so that they are always in contact to drive the tape and the second pair being movable into contact in response to an actuator in order to tear the tape.

20. The machine and collection means of claim 19in which collection means the support for one of the first rollers moves relative to the other, is biased to hold the rollers in contact and is provided with contacting means for closing a switch, and in which the support for one of the rollers of second pair is movable and is biased to hold the second pair of rollers apart, means for driving the second rollers together being actuated by the switch closed by the movable rollers of the first pair so adjusted that the added thickness of the tab' 13 will move the movable roller far to actuate the said switch.

of the first pair sulficiently 21. The machine and collection means of claim 20 in which collection means those rollers of each pair on the same side of the tape path are supported on the same frame so arranged that one frame rotates about the axis of its roller from the second pair and the other frame rotates about the axis of its roller from the first pair, biasing means acts on each of the frame members to hold the first rollers in contact and the second rollers out of contact with one another and means moving the frame bearing the movable second rollers to close said second rollers upon a signal from a switch actuated by the other frame upon separation of the first rollers.

22. The machine and collection means of claim 20 in which collection means the driven rollers of each pair are on the same frame and gear connected and solenoid actuation is provided for moving the frame which closes the second rollers.

23. The machine and collection means of claim 19 in which collection means a collector is provided beneath the second rollers consisting of a pair of sidewalls spaced the width of the tape in position to exactly accommodate the tape as it is tom, the top edges of said walls being downwardly inclined over at least part of their length and said walls being joined together by a closure at their bottom end.

24. The machine and collection means of claim 23 in which collection means a bottom closure is provided between the sidewalls which bottom has a steeper pitch than the top edges of the sidewalls, said bottom initially being relatively close to the top edges and terminating before the ends of the sidewalls relatively further from the top edges of the sidewalls than at the top of the structure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 918,813 Armstrong Apr. 20, 1909 2,385,836 Norkin Oct. 2, 1945 2,412,648 Rendel Dec. 17, 1946 2,603,688 Cole July 15, 1952 2,635,809 Camp Apr. 21, 1953 2,659,406 Locke Nov. 17, 1953 2,666,253 Morberg Jan. 19, 1954 2,781,014 Gillin Feb. 12, 1957 2,781,816 Lawson Feb. 19, 1957 

